The present disclosure relates generally to a gas flow regulating device. More particularly, it relates to devices for regulating the flow of gaseous samples from a patient's respiratory system and suitable for various applications requiring a constant flow of air or other gaseous substance, independent of the originating volume and pressure.
The air exhaled from a patient is important for diagnosing many diseases through analysis of certain substance concentrations in the exhaled air. For example, it is often desirable to analyze the air exhaled from a patient to determine whether the breath contains a particular compound, such an ethyl alcohol or carbon dioxide, or a non-chemical such as a particular microorganism. However, since the pressure of the exhaled air varies from patient to patient, and also during the exhalation process, the volume of air passing through a testing unit during a given unit of time will vary considerably, leading to inconsistent and/or unreliable results. Therefore, there is a need for a device that will create a constant flow of exhaled air to a testing mechanism, independent of the pressure of the exhaled air.
In light of the above, a need exists for improved gas flow regulating devices used for patient air sampling.